NESA Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year (ESSPY)
The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award (ESSPY) to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by an Eagle Scout candidate to a religious institution, school, community, or other entity through completion of an Eagle Scout project.
Selection of recipients begins at the local level and is conducted through the Dan Beard Eagle Scout Association (ESA) committee. The Dan Beard ESA selects a recipient for Dan Beard Council (DBC) from the list of submitted nominations and then forwards the candidate for consideration to NESA’s National Service Territory.
“Territory” ESSPY recipients are selected by each Council’s territory NESA scholarship committee. Territory recipients receive $300 available for their future educational purposes, or to attend a national or international Scouting event or activity.
The recipient of the national award is then selected from among territory recipients by a special selection committee of the National Eagle Scout Association. National recipients receive $3,500, available for their future educational purposes, or to attend a national or international Scouting event or activity.
Eligibility
- An Eagle Scout, the parents, or any registered BSA volunteer (with the Eagle Scout’s permission) may submit Eagle Scout service projects to the Dan Beard ESA committee for consideration.
- The Eagle Scout must have passed their Eagle Board of Review between January 1st and December 31st.
- The nomination form and required attachments must be submitted to the Dan Beard ESA on or before January 31st.
- Example: An Eagle Scout who completed an Eagle Board of Review in 2023, must have their nomination submitted by January 31, 2024.
Evaluation Criterion
- Project planning required.
- Effort to develop the project, taking into account challenges overcome by the Scout such as disability or limited financial capacity for the Scout/Scout family.
- Extent and character of leadership provided by the Scout.
- Extent of achievement of the planned result, including changes or modifications required to complete the project.
- Project’s impact on the beneficiary and/or on the community at large.
- Did the project create a “leverage opportunity” where it inspires others to expand the scope of the project.
- Originality of the project.
- Scope of the work.
- Time and materials contributed.
- Level of skill employed to complete the project.
Presentation
The recipient of the DBC Eagle Project of the Year Award will be honored at the annual DBC Eagle Court of Honor ceremony.
Nomination Process
- An Eagle Scout, the parents, or any registered BSA volunteer (with the Eagle Scout’s permission) must download the ESSPY Nomination Form (2024-01 Revision) and complete the required information. Please note the following information to be included on the form: in the “COUNCIL INFORMATION” section:
- National Service Territory #: 9
- Council #: 438
- Council Name: Dan Beard Council
- For the “PROJECT SUMMARY VIDEO” section of the nomination form, “It is strongly recommended that the Scout record a short video that can be part of this nomination form that is between 3-5 minutes, tells the story of their Eagle Scout Service Project and describes the impact on their community as well as themselves. The video file format must be MP4, WMV, or MOV. It should be uploaded to a cloud-based storage site (such as Google Drive or Dropbox) with permission to download and the link should be provided below. Please use a short URL if possible.”
- Once the nomination form has been completed, it should be submitted electronically with a complete PDF copy of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook (previously submitted by the Scout to the Eagle Board of Review committee) to the Dan Beard ESA using the button below.
Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025
FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL RESULT IN THE APPLICATION BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM CONSIDERATION:
- NOMINATION FORM
- EAGLE SCOUT SERVICE PROJECT WORKBOOK
- UP TO 10 PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHS
- OPTIONAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENATION (DRAWINGS, NEWS ARTICLES, ETC.)
Dan Beard Council ESSPY Recipients
2023 – Jack C. Garrison – Awarded on 3/20/2024
Jack C. Garrison of Troop 741 in Owensville, Ohio (East Fork District) earned the Dan Beard Council Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year for 2023. Centrally located on the three-school campus for the Batavia Local Schools Bulldogs, “The Dawg Park” was designed to provide students and staff with a space for relaxation and stress relief.
Half of the park features various yard games for those who prefer social interaction, while the other half offers chairs and benches for solitary reflection. The park also serves as a space for counseling sessions. The project aligns with the schools’ initiatives to address mental health issues, recognizing that stress is a significant factor to those issues. “The Dawg Park” aims to foster connections among peers, while offering a serene environment to support mental health.
2022 – Jacob A. Hams – Awarded on 2/11/2023
Jacob A. Hams is the Dan Beard Council Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award recipient for 2022. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout on 8/02/2022, after completing his Eagle Scout Service Project that made substantial improvements to the trail system at Camp Wesley, a United Methodist Church Camp.
Jacob led a group of volunteers to clear all existing trails within the camp, established two new trail segments, designed, and installed 13 new trail info kiosks, and updated trail markers throughout the camp. He overcame challenges in volunteer scheduling for the numerous phases of work, as well as increases in scope to complete the trail and kiosk updates. He has left a lasting legacy to help future visitors more easily enjoy the Camp Wesley trail system.
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